Villanova’s Stefan Suarez and Xavier’s Sydney Liggins Garner Tennis Weekly Awards
BIG EAST Men’s Tennis Athlete of the Week
Stefan Suarez, Villanova, Fr.
Suarez enjoyed a perfect weekend as he claimed wins against Rider and Boston U. Starting with singles play against Rider he won 6-0, 6-1 in the No. 3 spot. He also won his doubles match 6-3 with Mike Czlonka. Against Boston University, Stefan was the only Wildcat to win a singles match. He did so at the No. 2 singles spot with a 6-4, 6-2 win. He also combined with Czlonka again at the No. 3 doubles spot to win 6-4 and to clinch the doubles point for the Wildcats.
BIG EAST Women’s Tennis Athlete of the Week
Sydney Liggins, Xavier, Sr.
Liggins dominated BIG EAST action accumulating wins against Providence and Seton Hall last week. The senior opened the week with a victory in No. 1 singles against Providence with a 6-0, 6-2 advantage. In the same match, Liggins and freshman partner Rachael Reichenbach defeated the Friars in No. 2 doubles, 6-1, pacing the Musketeers to a 7-0 shutout against Providence. The following day, Liggins claimed another No. 1 singles victory, beating Seton Hall with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-0 victory. Again, Liggins and Reichenbach earned a 6-3 victory in No. 2 doubles.
Notable Performances
Baily Padgett, Butler, Jr.
Padgett defeated Cincinnati's top player, Lauren Bellinger, 5-7, 6-4, 1-0 (10-3), in the team’s only match of the week.
Florence Abbott, DePaul, Fr.
In a Blue Demon’s sweep over St. Thomas (Fla.), Abbott defeated Marine Uyttenhove 6-0, 6-0 at No. 5 singles, while paring with Aspasia Avgeri at No. 3 doubles for an 8-2 finish over Cassandra Lemieux and Uyttenhove.
Christopher Casati, DePaul, Fr.
The freshman won all his singles and doubles rounds in DePaul’s matches against The Citadel, South Carolina and College of Charleston. Pacing DePaul’s No. 5 court in singles play, Casati defeated The Citadel’s Roy Hobson 6-0, 6-2; South Carolina’s Aleksander Stupar 7-6 (3), 6-0 and the College of Charleston’s Jake Kusmider 6-1, 6-2.
Sara Swift, Georgetown, Jr.
Playing at No.3 in singles play, Swift collected back-to-back victories over St. John’s and George Mason. The junior defeated St. John’s Stephanie Elgegren, 6-0, 6-2 before overpowering George Mason’s Morgan Yang, 6-1, 6-0.
Anniek Jansen, Seton Hall, Fr.
After securing the doubles point following a 6-3 triumph at the No. 3 spot, the rookie recorded the match-clinching point with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory at No. 6 singles, helping the Pirates defeat LIU Brooklyn, 4-3.
Anna Morozova, St. John’s, Sr.
Splitting time between the No.1 and No. 2 spots, the senior went perfect last week with a 4-0 combined mark in singles and doubles play as St. John’s captured a pair of victories over Bryant(7-0) and Georgetown (4-3) this weekend.
Luka Sucevic, St. John’s, So.
Pacing the Johnnies in the No.1 spot, Sucevic went 2-0 in singles and doubles action as St. John’s downed Georgetown, 4-0.
Kaylan Rotman, Villanova, Fr.
For the first time this season, the rookie picked up back-to-back wins in singles action 6-2, 6-1 over Lehigh at the No. 3 singles spot and a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Rider in the No. 2 singles spot.
2017 Tennis Weekly Honors
Men's Tennis: Nathan de Veer, DePaul (Jan. 25, Feb. 15); Alvaro Verdu, Marquette (Feb. 1); Mikheil Khmiadashvili, Butler (Feb.8, March 15); Aviv Ben Shabat, Butler (Feb.22); Thomas Dodson, Villanova (March 1); Tyler Roth, Villanova (March 8) Matt Bishop, Xavier (March 22); Stefan Suarez, Villanova (March 29)
Women’s Tennis: Risa Takenaka, Providence (Jan. 25); Aspasia Avgeri, DePaul (Feb.1, March. 1); Luize Strike, Seton Hall (Feb.8); Yuliya Shupenia, DePaul (Feb. 15), Jessica Livianu, St. John’s (Feb.22), Keisha Clousing, DePaul (March 8); Michaela Henne, Creighton (March 15); Darby Rosette, Creighton (March 22);
Sydney Liggins, Xavier (March 29)